After A Difficult Journey On A Very Dark
Night He Reached His Object And Succeeded In Finding And Blowing Up
A Culvert.
There is a Victoria Cross gallantry which leads to
nothing save personal decoration, and there is another and far
higher gallantry of calculation, which springs from a cool brain as
well as a hot heart, and it is from the men who possess this rare
quality that great warriors arise.
Such feats as the cutting of
this railway or the subsequent saving of the Bethulie Bridge by
Grant and Popham are of more service to the country than any degree
of mere valour untempered by judgment. Among other results the
cutting of the line secured for us twenty-eight locomotives, two
hundred and fifty trucks, and one thousand tons of coal, all of
which were standing ready to leave Bloemfontein station. The
gallant little band were nearly cut off on their return, but fought
their way through with the loss of two horses, and so got back in
triumph.
The action of Driefontein was fought on the 10th. The advance began
on the morning of the 11th. On the morning of the 13th the British
were practically masters of Bloemfontein. The distance is forty
miles. No one can say that Lord Roberts cannot follow a victory up
as well as win it.
Some trenches had been dug and sangars erected to the north-west of
the town; but Lord Roberts, with his usual perverseness, took the
wrong turning and appeared upon the broad open plain to the south,
where resistance would have been absurd. Already Steyn and the
irreconcilables had fled from the town, and the General was met by
a deputation of the Mayor, the Landdrost, and Mr. Fraser to tender
the submission of the capital. Fraser, a sturdy clear-headed
Highlander, had been the one politician in the Free State who
combined a perfect loyalty to his adopted country with a just
appreciation of what a quarrel A l'outrance with the British Empire
would mean. Had Fraser's views prevailed, the Orange Free State
would still exist as a happy and independent State. As it is, he
may help her to happiness and prosperity as the prime minister of
the Orange River Colony.
It was at half-past one on Tuesday, March 13th, that General
Roberts and his troops entered Bloemfontein, amid the acclamations
of many of the inhabitants, who, either to propitiate the victor,
or as a sign of their real sympathies, had hoisted union jacks upon
their houses. Spectators have left it upon record how from all that
interminable column of yellow-clad weary men, worn with half
rations and whole-day marches, there came never one jeer, never one
taunting or exultant word, as they tramped into the capital of
their enemies. The bearing of the troops was chivalrous in its
gentleness, and not the least astonishing sight to the inhabitants
was the passing of the Guards, the dandy troops of England, the
body-servants of the great Queen.
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